CEASE and Resist
by Mycroft-mione
Summary: An assistant counsel to the Minister of Magic said in a brief statement, "It is the belief of the Ministry that unions based on social status will be more successful and beneficial for our society as a whole." It is unclear how the public will react to such a bold move, but reports of civilian unrest have already surfaced.


Word count: 3247

Written for:

Hogwarts Flying Lessons - Your task will be to write about a news that causes commotion. Whether this commotion is public and private is up to you and your team. Prompt: (word) Turmoil

 _Note: Liza (NeonDomino) and Emily (DolbyDigital) wrote the companion fics to this story, titled "CEASE and Assist" and "CEASE and Desist." Thanks for all their help. Make sure to check out their stories, because all three of ours fit together!_

* * *

 **CEASE and Resist**

* * *

MINISTRY ANNOUNCES MARRIAGE LAW

 _In a startling announcement today, Ministry officials spoke of a newly passed Marriage Law, one that could affect all documented pureblood citizens and some others. The Commission to End and Annul Serious Engagements, or CEASE, officially declares all recent or unapproved engagements null and void. This change comes into effect immediately, and those affected by this law will receive additional correspondence in the next two to three days._

 _An assistant counsel to the Minister of Magic said in a brief statement, "It is the belief of the Ministry that unions based on social status will be more successful and beneficial for our society as a whole." It is unclear how the public will react to such a bold move, but reports of civilian unrest have already surfaced._

...oOo...

Molly set down the newspaper, her jaw set and unyielding. It took a great deal of self-control to temper her fury; she nearly cursed the paper into pieces. But instead she settled for crushing it in her palm and stepping into Arthur's domain: the yard. Chickens hurried out of her path as she stomped to the tin shed, her dressing gown fluttering behind her.

"Arthur!" she hollered. A crashing sound emanated from somewhere inside the shed, but Molly was too distracted by the news she'd just read to care.

They were pureblood. As if it mattered. But because of the way their ancestors had married, it could all end, everything they'd built in the past year. They had just begun building their lives - it wasn't fair for something like to happen.

She knew life wasn't fair, but it wasn't supposed to affect things that really mattered. It _wasn't_ fair. And that couldn't be okay.

"Just a moment," Arthur called, his voice distant. She knew he was trying to hide something he was working on. Some days, Molly regretted marrying the man - he was certifiably insane by most people's standards.

But then, as always, he stepped out of the shed and swept her into his arms.

"Molly, Molly, Molly," he said playfully, holding her tight. He was forced to release her when she didn't squeeze back. Her red face told him more than words could have. "What's the matter?"

"I don't know what it means for us, or if it's even real - it could be a joke-" Molly glared at the crumpled newspaper she held. "It's a new law. From the Ministry."

Arthur's face slowly changed. His worry lines appeared, and his easy smile transformed into a thin line. He gazed at Molly, trying to gauge her feelings, but she was trying to do the same to him.

"I don't know anything," he said. "I just started in Misuse of Magic - of course they didn't tell me."

"Here's the headline..."

Molly waited for Arthur to finish. It didn't take long.

"'We're married," he protested, trying to find some way that the news couldn't be real. "They can't split us up. It says engagements, not marriages."

Looking at his disbelieving face, she broke down.

"Of course they can! They can do whatever they want!" she yelled. " _Arthur_ , who cares what makes sense and sounds fair and good? They can say that 'recent' means 'in the last year.' They can say that we're unapproved because we didn't have a traditional pureblood wedding. They can say no for a _hundred_ different reasons, and all of them mean we're getting split up, and I won't- I _can't_ _have that_!"

"Molly," Arthur tried. He reached out to touch her carefully. "Don't be upse-"

"You don't get to tell me what to be upset about, Arthur!" she cried, nudging his hand away. A moment later, it crept back, and she sighed, letting it stay there.

He shook his head. "I'm just trying to be positive. There's no proof that this affects us, anyway. I'm sure someone out there is having a conniption, but can we let that not be us?"

"Fine," she grumbled. "But we've got to check for mail. Every few hours."

"Yes, Molly, dear."

"And you'll ask around?"

"Sure thing."

"Okay."

They shared a brief kiss, Arthur's hands holding Molly possessively. They fell her shoulders as he walked her back to the house for morning coffee.

But none of it felt quite right. Maybe it was the dreadful excitement or turmoil they'd just gone through, or the fact that their world had been split in two over breakfast, but Molly couldn't settle into her normal routine. She cleaned house using the wrong spells, couldn't hum along to the radio, and started supper at twelve o'clock noon.

Or maybe, just maybe, she had seer blood in her. While Arthur returned to normal and she stayed worried, a letter was being sent to the Burrow.

...oOo...

"Er- Molly?" said Arthur. When there was no response, he called louder. "Molly!"

"I'll be down in a minute!"

Arthur hurried up the stairs, hopping over the loose-floor-boarded step on his way to their bedroom. "Molly, it's important." His voice fell, and he looked down at the parchment that was burning holes in his hands. He had to open it, but he wouldn't do it without her.

Molly didn't answer, just opened the door, her hair swept into a towel that resisted gravity. "What?"

"Oh- you can dry your hair, it's all right," he said, but she shook her head, having noticed the letter he was carrying.

"Is that...?"

"I think so." He slit the seal with his wand, revealing two bits of parchment inside. Molly stood beside him as they read the first letter together.

 _Dear witch or wizard,_

 _This is your official announcement regarding your Ministry-chosen match. Enclosed is an additional note carrying your match's name and age, as well as the date for your officiated marriage ceremony._

 _Thank you for your cooperation and compliance with this important civil law. We at the Ministry of Magic promise happier days ahead, now that the connections in society have been pruned of their ills and misfortunes._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Morticia Nox  
_ _Head of Department of Marriage and Registration._

"There's another," said Arthur. He didn't reach into the envelope, waiting to see if his wife had finished reading. She was staring at the page, her face blank.

"I don't understand," she finally said. "Ills and misfortunes? Us?"

"It's just the language they used. They're trying to appeal to the ones who think half-bloods and Muggles are scum... Never mind about keeping the wizarding race alive and non-inbred."

"But how could they get away with this? How-" Molly wrung her hands, no longer apprehensive, but indignant.

"Do you want to see the..." started Arthur, who let his words sit in the air before answering himself. "I have to look."

"It's written to you," Molly realized. "It'll have your match."

"Do you mind?"

"No, no, I have to be here," Molly assured him. "To see your face when you read it," she tried to joke. But she gave up all pretense that the moment could be laughed off, opening the second letter without ceremony. She held her breath.

 _Dear Mister Weasley,_

 _Due to your Pureblood status, you have been matched with Molly Prewett, aged nineteen...  
_

" _Arthur_!" exclaimed Molly. Her eyes scanned the page again, thinking that she'd missed something, but the words very clearly said 'Molly Prewett.' Her name was Molly. She was nineteen. She was set to marry Arthur, again. The Ministry had remarried an existing couple, somehow. The Ministry was made up of idiots - except for Arthur, of course...

"Molly!" he cried, grabbing her and kissing her firmly on the mouth. Molly let herself sink into the kiss, still absorbing what she'd just learned. Someone, somewhere, had saved them from an awful separation.

When they pulled apart, gasping, she spoke eagerly. "Let's finish the letter - I stopped reading right until I saw my name."

 _..Your nuptials will take place on 17th August, 1978, at 11:45am, at the Ministry's Office for Marriage and Registration Affairs. A Ministry official will be present to officiate. Failure to attend will result in a sentence in Azkaban._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Morticia Nox  
_ _Head of Department of Marriage and Registration_

"I half thought they were going to stop partway through and tell us it was a joke, but..." Arthur scanned the letter again, unable to take his eyes off the miraculous paper. "It's not. I can't believe it."

"We're already married, though," Molly commented. "That's what I don't like. Are they saying our marriage doesn't count just because they say so?"

Arthur sighed. "I know - but we have to be happy with what we've got. I'm sure there are people who have it much worse than us."

"I suppose a little fuss and bother doesn't hurt. We get to have two weddings, now, instead of one." Molly smiled, taking Arthur's hand and leaving the all-important letters on the landing. "Let's send a message or two."

...oOo...

 _Hello Arthur,_

 _I'm glad you contacted me. It's nice to hear from you when you're not stuck in that crummy little office on the second floor._

 _Unfortunately, my friends in the Marriage/Reg Department don't think it's prudent to share such important information with a lesser employee. (That's you.) Now, I told them how harmless you are, how you're such a good friend, but I'm afraid they didn't see it my way. So I can't lend you the files of matched purebloods, sorry!_

 _I hope your wife Mary is doing well. Are you two still together?_

 _Cheers,  
_ _Albert_

...oOo...

"I've called about twenty people through the fire. Not one picked up, Arthur, and I'm nearly frantic about it. No one!"

"When did you call?"

"Six-thirty, seven, nine, ten-thirty, noon..."

"Maybe they were all having a lie-in. You can't blame them; if anyone got the letter they'd want to have as much time as possible with each other."

"Hmmph. _We_ haven't been spending extra time together."

"Molly, dear, we have another fifty years for that."

"Ha. How do you know I won't murder you in your sleep for your insurance galleons?"

"You think I'll be worth something when I'm dead?"

"Ha ha again. I suppose I'll try them all later."

"I'll help you. I certainly hope this hasn't affected anyone else we know, but I guess it's too much to wish for."

"Yeah..."

"Come on, some gnomes are moving into the garden - let's go watch."

" _Ar_ thur!"

...oOo...

They stepped into the office together, Molly instantly feeling indignant at the Ministry for their choice of venue. With the crowds outside the door and the piles of paperwork on each desk, their location was more of a disaster site than a marriage one. Molly's best dress and Arthur's best suit (each still a bit ragged) felt terribly out of place in this everyday spot. They'd decided to dress the part and make the most of their second marriage ceremony, but the Ministry was doing everything it could to run the day.

"Arthur Weasley and Molly Prewett?" droned a slumping official, still seated at a desk across the room. He turned to face them, summoning a document from his massive in-tray to check the names. Molly assumed it was because a mistake would cost him his job, not that he actually cared if the right people were married.

They nodded, exchanging glances as the man verified their identities and then prepared the room for the ceremony. No aesthetic changes would be made - it wasn't a proper wedding by any definition - but he had to grab another official to act as witness, all while Molly and Arthur stood, bewildered.

Was this how marriages were going to be now? Cold, heartless exchanges of vows compelled by arbitrary matches?

The ceremony was brief and unmoving. It was whirlwind, over barely after it begun. Molly made her Unbreakable Vow without complaint, although something in the back of her mind urged her that it was wrong, unnatural. Why risk her life pledging herself to a man she might not love?

That was wrong, Molly reminded herself. She did love Arthur. It was just nerves making her question her love.

Or maybe it was the cold, calculating way the Ministry viewed their union that made her question its value.

They finished the ceremony with a kiss, but broke it off far too soon when the official cleared his throat.

"Ahem," he said dryly. "The next marriage is slated to begin in five minutes. Please leave."

Well, he didn't have to tell Molly twice. She was a newlywed, and what did newlyweds want most of all? Their wedding night.

...oOo...

"Hey, James, I'm glad you two could make it," greeted Arthur. Molly went to fetch drinks, leaving her husband alone in the hall with James Potter, who they barely knew, and his new husband, who stuck out in his pale grey dress robes. James was wearing muggle clothing with wild, unkempt hair, which was definitely more the Weasleys' style. But both seemed uncomfortable being together, and kept staring at each other as if it was the first time they'd met.

Molly returned and led them into the kitchen, as it was the biggest room in the house, if not the nicest for company. "Hello, James," she began. "Care to introduce us officially to your guest?"

James laughed suddenly. "Don't treat me like I'm fifteen, Molly, I'm just a year younger than you are. And this- well, this man here is my- er- my new husband Regulus Black."

Arthur shook hands with Regulus, their eyes flitting from each other to the ground in quite possibly the most awkward introduction ever. Luckily, they were interrupted by a loud knock at the door.

"Coming!" Molly called, and swept down the hall to the front door. She opened it to find Sirius Black and Remus Lupin waiting there - only, they weren't waiting, they were snogging enthusiastically and didn't notice her arrival.

Molly let them stay at it, snickering to herself, until finally Remus's eyes popped open and he sprung away from Sirius like he'd been punched. Sirius looked hurt, but Remus gentered towards the open door meaningfully.

"Hello," he said weakly.

Sirius countered this with a bit more excitement. "Hello, Molly! Lovely day, huh?"

She laughed, covering her mouth. "Come in. I have to say, I didn't expect this from you two."

Sirius rolled his eyes, holding Remus close to his side like they'd been together for months, not days. "You won't admit that the Ministry screwing up was pretty convenient for us, given that I've wanted to be with him as long as I can remember?"

"I didn't think there'd be this much honesty before we started drinking," interjected James, who had just walked to the hall to see what the hold-up was. Regulus followed behind him, as well as Arthur, who would have been left with no one to talk to. "Hi there, Sirius, Remus."

Sirius' mouth dropped open, and Remus widened his eyes. Sirius gave him a look, causing Remus to open his mouth. "I think Sirius wants to know why his brother is here."

"That's not- you weren't supposed to-" Sirius hissed, loudly enough for everyone to hear. Molly, Arthur, James, Regulus, and Remus stared at him. He sighed, then gave up any attempt at secrecy. "What's _he_ doing here?"

"I'm here with my _husband_ ," Regulus replied, in the exact same snide tone.

Sirius's eyes shot to James, then his own husband, then Regulus and the others, silently begging for answers. Molly shrugged. Inside, she was laughing, but she maintained a clean exterior so Sirius wouldn't think she was making fun. She didn't know how deeply the brothers' rivalry extended, or she wouldn't have invited them both to the same party.

"James?" Sirius asked. He sounded scandalized. "You and _Regulus_?"

"Yeah," James replied. "Me and Lily... We got split up. By the law. And we decided that we should just stay apart for a while and let my new marriage get started."

"You were on your honeymoon," Molly realized. "Oh, James, that's awful."

"Yeah. It kinda sucked."

Regulus was looking at James, Molly noticed, in an almost hurt way. Like he wished James had been happy to leave his wife for him. Like he was jealous. He was betrayed at James, even though the Ministry paired him with a straight man... Molly filed this information away for later.

She tried to change the subject. "How about we go back to the kitchen?"

"That sounds like a great idea," Remus said quietly. Sirius turned to look at him and quickly agreed. So the six of them went there, sat and talked while Molly made the food. She ended wishing she'd invited a single girl friend, just to talk to. None of the male-female couples she'd invited had been able to come, either.

The conversation turned to the law, like she knew it would, and she tried to temper it, talking about how lucky she and Arthur were with a light, airy voice, but the others had different stories to tell. And for the days after their wedding, she and Arthur had finally heard from pureblood acquaintances who'd drawn the short straw.

"Sirius was lucky," Remus was saying. "He had me to marry him when they told him he was given Persephone. But I bet most people don't have a crushing best friend to marry when they're stuck with someone awful. And I bet they don't account for sexuality, anyway."

"How did James and Regulus end up together, then?" Sirius grumbled.

"They made a mistake?" James wondered. "I don't know. Lily was pretty pissed, gotta say. And I still don't know why they broke up an existing couple. We'd just gotten engaged. _Merlin_!"

"Yes, we know," Regulus muttered. "It's all you talk about."

James snorted at his husband. "We're married now. I can talk about whatever I want and you _have_ to listen, right?"

"That doesn't mean you have to shove it in my face."

The room grew quiet. Only the sounds of Molly's chopping could be heard. Molly didn't turn, but she knew from the silence that no one was about to apologize or change the subject. _Men_.

"Obviously this isn't going as well for some of us as we'd like," she finally said, looking at everyone in turn. "Remus and Sirius got off easy. Lucky buggers. Me and Arthur - well, we get to stay put. Which is amazingly unlikely. And James and Regulus..." Molly took a deep breath. "You may not be each other's dream, but you're the reality, so let's try to make it work, okay?"

"Yea." James looked at Regulus and gulped. "Sorry, mate. I mean, husband." He turned to the more happily married couples in the room. "What am I supposed to call him?"

Sirius piped up. "You could say sex-eyes! That's what I call Rem-"

"Thank you for your input," Regulus interrupted, rolling his eyes.

"I think I'm done here," Molly said to herself, hiding a smile. She'd played the role of marriage counselor, and done it pretty darn well. Maybe, the remarried couples would have a chance. They could resist Ministry handling, shake off the meaningless marriage and make something more out of it. At least, that's what she hoped for.

The only job now was to make her own life as picture-perfect as how she'd dreamed it as a girl. It would be hard, even harder now that she'd made an Unbreakable Vow. But Molly Prewett-Weasley was nineteen years old, still young and full of surprises - like just the right amount of gutsy confidence to save her newborn marriage.


End file.
